


Everyone Craves A Hug

by LuxEvergreen



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Awkward Boners, Awkward Flirting, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/M, Fluff and Crack, Holidays, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-15
Updated: 2017-02-15
Packaged: 2018-09-24 16:45:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9771026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuxEvergreen/pseuds/LuxEvergreen
Summary: The Riverrun Daily News is hanging on by a thread, and editor-in-chief Catelyn Stark, is willing to do anything she can to keep it afloat.Jaime Lannister is a jaded journalist who writes nothing more than click-bait articles for the newspaper but he is the most popular writer on staff. Desperate to keep him on a leash, Catelyn Stark promotes a hard-nosed writing assistant, Brienne Tarth as a new editor and Jaime's minder.With Maiden's Day fast approaching, both are snagged into an absurd assignment: to research the growing phenomenon of 'cuddle parties.' Will the two manage to survive each other for the night, or will they end up snuggling each other's brains out?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SeleneU](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeleneU/gifts).



> To all of my slackers, Happy Valentine's Day. 
> 
> This is a gift for my friend, SeleneU.  
> When I had serious doubts about my Frost/Fire story, she was there to root me on. 
> 
> You my homegirl, Selene.
> 
> ***Author's Note***
> 
> YES, cuddle parties actually do exist!   
> Here' are a few articles I read in research for this story:
> 
> http://www.cuddleparty.com  
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuddle_party  
> https://www.thrillist.com/sex-dating/nation/cuddle-party-rules-berlin-review  
> http://www.huffingtonpost.com/van-winkles/i-went-to-a-cuddle-party_b_7697790.html
> 
> There are sooo many more articles out there about this subject.   
> Just Google 'cuddle party,' kick back with a glass of wine and prepared to be fascinated!

Ralph Wiggum: "You Choo-Choo- _Choose me?"_

The Simpsons  
"I Love Lisa" Season 4, episode 15.

 

\----

 

“...and if I ever find the person who saran wrapped my toilet bowl, I will hunt them down until the end of time just so I can throw them out of a window.”

Jaime Lannister tried to conceal his laugh behind the rim of his coffee mug while Brienne glared at him with a twisted frown. It was Friday afternoon, and the office had grown restless; staff members of the _Riverrun Daily News_ were slowly gathering up their belongings and trying to make a quick exit for the door. Eager to avoid rush hour traffic on the River Road Express, everyone was mentally begging for the meeting to end so they could toast the weekend with cheap pitchers of beer at the Black Fish Tavern.

Realizing that everyone’s focus had started to wane, editor-in-chief Catelyn Stark peered over her glasses before she continued in a sharp voice. _“Moving on.”_ A small wave of groans rolled over the conference table while staff members slithered back into their chairs in slow defeat.

“As most of you know, last month we lost of one of our editors, Barristan Selmy. And with his passing, my hands were forced into filling his position. Most of our writing assistants at _Riverrun Daily_ applied for the post, but only one applicant stood out head and shoulders among the rest. I’d like for all of you to welcome our newest editor to the team, Brienne Tarth.”

A sputtering of tense, lukewarm applause filled the conference room. A few staff members began to mutter under their breaths while others rolled their eyes and cringed. Jaime wasn’t even paying attention to anything his boss had said; he was too busy doodling a sword fight between two stick figures on his meeting agenda. Feeling crestfallen by the staff’s reaction, Brienne merely shrugged as she tried to screen the look of disappointment on her face.

Ignoring her staff’s tepid response, Catelyn readjusted her glasses before she concluded the meeting. “Oh, and don't forget—we have a signup sheet in the break room for our annual softball game against _The King’s Landing Herald_.” Staff began to file out of the conference room in a bottlenose of traffic with swells of laughter and the hum of relieved chatter. Brienne felt uneasy as she took a seat at the conference table; she had remained after the meeting by request of her boss. Still seated at the head of the conference table, Catelyn Stark made notes to herself on a legal pad as Jaime stood up to leave. “Not so fast Jaime.”

Jaime Lannister froze in place and slowly turned around. Eager to drive home to start his weekend, he offered up his boss a handsome, shit eating grin while he made his excuses. “Sorry. Can’t stay. Doctor’s orders; restless leg syndrome.” Catelyn was in no mood to play.

“Jaime—”

“I have to pick up my kids from school?”

His boss threw him a chilling glare. “You don't _have_ any children.”

Jaime began to flounder. “Uh, someone else's kids?”

Dropping her fountain pen to the table, the editor-in-chief sighed as she massaged her temples. “How? With a windowless van and some candy?” Brienne’s eyes grew wide as Jaime tossed his steno pad down to the conference table and hissed under his breath. “Sit down, _now.”_

Jaime threw his weight into a chair with a melodramatic thunder. Sulky with impatience, he crossed his arms across his chest and started to pout like a child waiting for a scolding. Feeling satisfied by his abrupt compliance, Catelyn Stark sat up in her chair with a tight smile and continued in a softer voice.

“I’ve asked you to stay because I want you to meet our newest editor, Brienne. She was promoted this morning.” Annoyed and bored, Jaime shifted his eyes towards Brienne and greeted her with a low, insincere welcome. “...hello...” Brienne shifted uncomfortably in her seat and returned his greeting with a vague look of disgust. “… _hello?”_

Catelyn Stark lowered her eyes just as she braced herself for a leisurely sip of coffee. “I’ve decided to make Brienne your new editor.”

Jaime and Brienne’s faces started to melt with horror. “Mrs. Stark, surely there's someone else who’ll be—” Jaime sat up in his chair with growing outrage. “You've got to be kidding me! _Her?”_ Unfazed by their objections, Catelyn took another sip of her coffee and quietly relished in Jaime’s fright.

“Are you two finished?” Neither one spoke for fear of retribution. “Good. I have an assignment for you; the event is happening tonight.” Jaime waved a hand of dismissal over the table with a placating smile. “Can't do it! I'm still working on my feature.” Catelyn responded with a sweet and vengeful smile. “I'm axing it.” Jaime paled in shock. _“You’re what?”_

Fully prepared for his response, Catelyn Stark handed him a plain office folder and motioned him to look inside. “I want you to do this instead.” Jaime snapped open the file in profound distress. “I’ve decided it’s going to be our feature for the Maiden’s Day issue.” A look of resentment curled across his lips. “And I’ve decided that I want your new editor to go with you.” It was suddenly Brienne’s turn to blanch in horror. _“I’m sorry?”_ Jaime flicked the manila folder across the table and launched himself out of his chair. Slamming the glass door wide open, he marched out of the conference room with an iron jaw face and a menacing stride.

As the conference room settled with the droning buzz of florescent lights, Brienne blinked her blue eyes in confusion. Feeling suddenly nervous, she flipped open the discarded folder and found the source of Jaime’s ire. Tucked inside was a heart shaped flyer printed out on an obnoxious shade of pink. It was a cutesy invitation scrawled out with sickly-sweet cursive in glittery ink.

 **Calling all cuddle bunnies!**  
Join us for our  
_7th Annual Maiden’s Day Snuggle Soiree_  
Friday the 10th at 6:30 PM  
At the Harrenhal Dance Studios

\----

  
The editor-in-chief shrugged at Brienne with a helpless look on her face. “I’m sorry Brienne. For the present, I’ll need you to accompany Jaime Lannister on all of his assignments.”

Standing inside Catelyn Stark’s office with her hands on her narrow hips, Brienne Tarth scowled as she dropped her weary face. “For how long?” Catelyn’s voice shrank as she started to fidget with her sparkling wedding ring. “I don’t know.” A rueful smile flashed over Brienne’s cheeks. “I want to say it’ll only be temporary, but you know as well as I that Jaime Lannister is a—”

“—Jaime Lannister is a spoiled, egocentric megalomaniac who suffers from chronic delusions of grandeur.”

Catelyn didn’t feel a need to correct Brienne; instead, she nodded her head and politely agreed in a soft voice. “You’re right.” Brienne sighed with relief. “The problem is, Jaime is our most popular writer on staff.” Dragging her fingers through her short hair, Brienne rubbed the heel of her palm into her eye and winced. “Mrs. Stark, the man is a hack; his work is a joke. He writes nothing more than _click-bait._ He’s not even a real journalist; how can he be our most popular writer on staff when—” Catelyn’s voice turned to steel once she divulged a painful truth.

“Subscriptions for our paper have been on a sharp decline for ten years running.” Brienne’s shoulders fell in defeat as the editor-in-chief continued. “Like it or not, Jaime’s articles are the only reason why people subscribe to us anymore. If we let him go, subscriptions will plummet into a graveyard spiral.” Brienne looked back up as Catelyn’s voice started to falter. “This paper is all I have left, Brienne— _I can't stand him_ … but we can't afford to let him go; Jaime is too valuable of an asset for us right now.” Shamefaced into silence while her boss fought back a quick sting of tears, Brienne’s anger dissolved into a growing concern. She always had a soft spot in her heart for Catelyn Stark, ever since she lost both her husband and her eldest son in a plane crash two years ago.

In the long months following their deaths, she'd watched her boss slowly fade into a dim outline of her former glory. Though Brienne hated to admit it, her boss was right; the paper was all she had left. Both of Catelyn’s daughters were enrolled in a private academy across the Narrow Sea; her son Bran was paralyzed from the waist down after suffering from a near-fatal riding accident. As for her youngest son, Rickon was so disturbed by the sudden passing of his brother and father, he was institutionalized under psychiatric care for the better part of a year. In truth, all Catelyn Stark had left now was her uncle’s newspaper to run and she was willing to do anything to keep it afloat. Sniffing back a warble of doubt, Catelyn continued with a thick voice.

“You are an excellent journalist Brienne. You're a stickler for details, and your integrity will one day make you my star editor—” Brienne’s smile faded with a soft interjection. “—it also makes me your most despised member of the team.” Catelyn Stark had paused before she whispered in a teary voice. “I need your help, Brienne. I trust you, and I am confident that you’ll be there to keep Jaime in line for all of his assignments.”

Brienne’s homely face began to crease with cynicism. Desperate for her help, Catelyn dabbed at her eyes before she continued. “I’ll make you a deal: if you can keep Jaime on a tight leash for the next few months, I'll give you your op-ed on the front page.” Brienne's eyes started to widen with hope. “Mrs. Stark—I don't know what to say…”

Dabbing at her nose with a fresh tissue, Catelyn’s mouth flickered up into a jaded smile. “You can say what you like after your first assignment with Jaime; by then you’ll understand why I’m having you doing this.”

Undeterred by her warning, Brienne’s eyes hardened as she quietly accepted her boss’ challenge. “I swear, Mrs. Stark; I will keep Jaime in line for you.” Catelyn’s brief smile flattened with a grim assessment and a doubtful smirk. “That's good to hear.”

  
\----

  
“Jaime; it's Brienne. It's 6:23 PM and you are _still_ not here. If I don’t see you at the Harenhall Dance Studios by 6:30... well, you better be _sick_ or _dead_. Call me back if you need a ride…” Brienne's voice lingered over her phone with uncertainty. “...this is Brienne, by the way.”

Cringing at her words, Brienne dropped the phone to her lap and muttered insults to herself; it had been the third voicemail she’d left for Jaime. Leaning far back in her car seat, she dropped her head into her hand and sighed. Already, she was missing her former job as a writing assistant.

A sudden knock on the car window took her by surprise.

Snapping her head up like a live wire, Brienne gasped as her eyes nearly bolted out of her head. Standing in front of her car door was Jaime Lannister, looking far too pleased with himself. Prying open her car door after she collected her belongings, Brienne confronted him with a slamming heartbeat and a murderous glare. 

Standing in the middle of a quiet street in front of Harrenhal Dance Studios, Brienne was silent as she waited for Jaime's apology. Between his smug grin and his fierce eyes, she quickly realized that remorse and humility were just a fathomless void in his heart. Instead of offering up his new editor a flimsy excuse, his eyes darted over her face with a mirthless laugh and a slight curl of his lips. “Gods be good; you're even uglier in daylight.”

Brienne scowled. “Get moving.”

Jaime didn't move; instead, he kept his green eyes trained on her with a curious look on his face. Undeterred by her impatience, Jaime continued. “Because you see, _at the office_ , anyone can look hideous under fluorescent lighting. Most often when you see them outside of work, all of their ghastly features start to fade; they even become somewhat more attractive. Except for you, my lady… you look _absolutely_ — _”_

“Finish that thought and I’ll gouge a hole in your throat and make your tongue into a necktie.”

Jaime's face started to brighten up like a child's. Holding their gazes in a tense standoff, his expression flashed from horror to delight once he realized just how serious she was. Offering her a condescending wink, Jaime’s lips twisted up into a cruel smile before he continued.

 _“I like you… ”_ Brienne retained an impassive look on her face while he continued. “I'm starting to see why Catelyn Stark hired you.” Intrigued, Jaime’s eyes began to wander over Brienne with a salacious leer.

Irritated by the blasé reaction to her threat, Brienne stepped out of his gaze with a roll of the eyes. “Ugh...” Marching forward with a calm look on her face, Jaime lingered behind with both hands in his pockets. Curious, he peered over his shoulder to watch his editor walk away, seeing her move with her impressive build and her feminine stride. He didn't realize it until she had walked away but his prickly nag was wearing black yoga pants, leaving little to his imagination. Sporting a zip up hoodie that hung off of one of her freckled shoulders, Jaime thought she somehow looked like a magnificent warrior that was honor bound by some oath.

Jaime hated to admit it: in spite of the fact that he was glad to see her go, it gave him a thrill to see her walk away. Staring at her ass with the wide eyes of starving man, Jaime clenched his jaw tight with a slight grimace. Looking down at his sneakers, he chewed on his lower lip and whispered softly to himself.

“Damnit.”

  
\----

 

“Alright! Gather around everyone! _Gather, gather!”_

Dozens of people were mingling inside a spacious dance studio while dressed down in comfy clothing. Everyone was smiling as they punctuated the dull roar of conversation with barks of laughter. As soon as Jaime and Brienne walked in, both of their faces screwed up in dreary contempt; everything inside of the studio was festooned with balloons and crepe paper, with garish shades of reds and pinks.

The sickly-sweet decor was hung in celebration for the upcoming holiday, Maiden's Day. On the ballet bars lining the mirror walls, there were decorative string lights wrapped around with silky pink bows. Floor to ceiling windows were draped in heavy blackout curtains; pinned to the curtains were delicate cutouts of paper hearts lanced by glittery red arrows.

For those who worshiped the seven, Maiden’s Day used to be a week-long festival in celebration of the Maid. For a whole week, there was drinking and feasts, songs and games while bonfires were lit and family members protected their maiden daughters against the lusty advances of men. Over hundreds of years, the holiday had eroded into a faint, antiquated memory. It wasn't until advertising executives had made a successful campaign to resuscitate the holiday as nothing more than a flash of consumerism squeezed in after the major shopping holidays. These days, Maiden’s Day was celebrated once a year with romantic overtures along with red roses and pink hearts.

Standing inside the studio filled with obnoxious decorations, Jaime was suddenly taken aback by the long lost memories of his childhood. He remembered that Maiden’s Day used to be a simple time when the only pressure he felt as a boy was to hand out silly cards along with pieces of candy to his classmates. Swallowing past a lump of worry, Jaime grumbled his displeasure as his eyes drifted towards Brienne with a pending doom. Though Brienne would’ve rather been anywhere else in the world, she was somehow glad to have Jaime Lannister by her side.

Glancing at him with a weary face, she finally got a chance to see him under the twinkling lights of the dance studio. Dressed in baggy gray sweatpants and an oversized white t-shirt, he looked casual and comfortable although his demeanor said otherwise. With the imposing shoulders of a quarterback and the hard eyes of a falcon, Jaime slowly turned to Brienne’s with a look that spoke volumes: _how did we get ourselves into this mess?_ By then, the party organizer had called out for their attention as their eyes had locked onto each other.

“Hi! Uhh… _Hello?_ Please, join us! Don't be shy! There's plenty of room for us all.”

Everyone in the studio turned their heads to stare at them; Brienne’s eyes slammed shut in a flash of humiliation while Jaime’s face started to beamed with his megawatt grin. Compelled by their hostesses, the two slowly made their way across the studio space with an annoying squeak coming from the hardwood floor.

“Circle in, circle in.” The young hostess sighed in contentment. “Good evening! And I wanna wish you all a happy early-Maiden’s Day! My name is Shae, and I am your fully licensed and board certified ‘cuddle specialist.'”

Abrupt laughter sputtered from the back of the room. Whispering out his name with a seething tone, Brienne jabbed a sharp elbow into Jaime’s ribs. Choking on a yelp of pain, he made a small attempt to drown out his laughter behind a fit of bogus coughs. Shae’s eyes burned a hole into Jaime before her face returned to a calming state.

“I see a lot of familiar faces here tonight, _but for some of you_ …” Shae’s eyes threw daggers at Jaime, “... this might be your first time. If you're new here, I’d like to make a small request: please keep an open mind and allow your hearts to be open as well.

“Most of us have memories of a simple time in our childhood; friendships were quickly made and playtime was something that was both innocent and fun. As we grew older, we've made a few mistakes. Regret is the slow poison of youth, and if we don’t learn how to forgive ourselves, over time, it'll erode our happiness and destroy peace. As adults, we’ve been conditioned to ration out our trust and to guard our hearts against others. And even though we all know hurt, we've managed to keep others at a distance so that we won't repeat the same mistakes.

“Tonight is about compassion and forgiveness. Make tonight your opportunity to let your guard down; cuddling is about innocence. With the touch of a hand or even a warm smile, you can transform a life without even knowing it. Let this be a reminder to ourselves that in spite of all of the heartache we've known, it is possible to know love— _and to be loved_ —without pain.” Jaime hid his face as he sneered at the floor; Brienne furrowed her brows as Shae continued.

“We pride ourselves in making this event a safe place for everyone; I want all of you to feel comfortable here, which is why we are going to cover the ground rules. Rule number one: no touching below the waist. If I catch you violating this rule, you will be thrown out; no questions asked. Rule number two: no heavy petting and no kissing. And rule number three: there will be no touching without consent. We are a community that respects the word _“no.”_  Remember: this is a safe and sacred place. Any questions?”

No one in the studio made a sound; Jaime was tempted to pose a sarcastic question but thought better of it once he caught a withering look from Brienne. With that, Shae continued. “OK! Now, let’s take a moment to warm up and greet each other with a nice, warm, friendly hug! Find someone that’s special in this room and let them know how beautiful they are. Let's pair off!”

Men and women dressed in loose jeans and yoga clothing paired off and started to embrace with a heartfelt innocence. Realizing they were the only two left in the studio not wrapped up in a tight hold, Jaime turned to Brienne with a cartoonish smile on his face. Brienne felt like she wanted to squirm out of her skin. Feeling Jaime's eyes bore into her, she tried not to snarl as he leaned in with a vengeful smirk.

“Brieee- _ennne_ … ” Expelling a deep sigh, Brienne glowered at Jaime with a doleful face. Choking back on a laugh, Jaime continued in a mocking voice. “Can I give you a hug?” Not in the mood to respond, Brienne tried to think up of a lame excuse. Failing to come up with one, she rolled her eyes and gave him a coarse grunt of consent. A broad smile sparked to life on Jaime’s face. Delighted by how uncomfortable she was, Jaime lifted up his arms and gave Brienne a smothering bear hug. Keeping her arms plastered to her sides, Brienne tried to speak but her mouth was squished up against his hot neck. With a false hum of contentment, Jaime whispered into Brienne's ear with a creepy voice.

“Hmmm. No bra on. _Nice..._ ”

Recoiling with a look of disgust, Brienne shoved Jaime away as his mouth coiled up into a wolfish grin. “Can’t you be a normal person for just one minu—” Jaime’s eyes flew open as he pointed a finger over his mouth. _“Shhhhh! This is a sacred place!”_ Inflamed by his mockery, Brienne was prepared to launch into a scathing critique of his conduct when she looked around and suddenly fell quiet.

Already, people were starting to gather into a large pile on the gymnasium mats to spoon and cuddle. Fascinated, Jaime and Brienne watched men and women writhe around like a can of worms as they squirmed into a huge mountain of flesh on the floor. The rest of the attendees were still paired off into long, sensual hugs. Soft music played from the speakers; it was the soundtrack of ocean waves crashing on a shore with blustery winds. Amused, both of them turned to each other and shared a strange grin. On the brink of asking her an uncomfortable question, Jaime was interrupted when two college-aged girls came up to him with coquettish grins.

 _“Heeeyyyyy._ My name is Gypsum, and this here is _Sage._ Would you like to join us in our cuddle pile?” It was now Brienne’s turn to hold back a sputter of laughter. Throwing suggestive eyes towards his editor, Jaime shrugged with a laissez-faire mood and began to smile. “Sure. Although ladies, I feel that it’s fair to warn you: I'm nervous so please be gentle; this is my first time.” Both of the girls giggled as Jaime followed them towards the center of the room.

Relieved to see him go, Brienne sighed and took a hard look around the room. By then, everyone had landed into a huge cuddle pile at the center of the gym mat. Feeling as if though she had stumbled upon a freak genocide, Brienne gulped with a tight throat and winced.

“Yikes.”

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The bomb is set to go off—thousands of people are going to die! 
> 
> Will Brienne diffuse the bomb in time and save the world?  
> Will Jaime ever find out that he's lactose intolerant?
> 
> ...oh wait. That's the wrong story. Damnit.
> 
> Oh that's right! The cuddle party continues...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, here's chapter 2 : )

Brienne Tarth was many things, but she could never be described as someone who was  _‘cuddly.’_

At first, Brienne stood out like a sore thumb among the lolling masses. Men and women hummed and sighed, looking blissed out of their minds while tucked inside the folds of a massive flesh pile. Everyone was writhing around, spooning up against total strangers; arms and legs were tangled together while blind hands pawed over the lumps and curves of sweaty, anonymous flesh. With her back pressed up against a brick wall and a deep frown puckering her face, Brienne nursed a bottle of water with a curious shake of her head and shuddered.

As the soiree rolled into its second hour, Shae walked up to Brienne and beamed with flushed cheeks and tousled hair. Backing away from the hostess with a wave of her hands, Brienne offered up a polite smile as Shae tried to lure her in with a coo of protest. “ _Oh, please_ … please join us. All we want to do is share our love.” Prying her hands away with a condescending smile, Brienne started to bluster with a cringing cheek. “I’m… I’m working my way up towards it.” Satisfied by her weak excuse, Shae drifted off into the studio and made an effortless glide back into the pile.

Seated against a ballet bar, Brienne’s eyes roamed the crowd. Whenever her eyes lingered over the cuddle pile for too long, she felt a loathing start to build against Jaime every time her eyes found him. She could easily spot him tangled up in a sweaty pile of college girls who lured him away. After a while, other people in the cuddle pile started to gravitate towards him as well. No matter where he went, Jaime always had the power to draw out that kind of attention from people. He intrigued coworkers and he stunned strangers; even those who hated him on sight had a hard time looking away. Brienne was starting to understand why everyone had felt that way towards him: Jaime was a bold, charismatic and charming man with a razor sharp wit and a cunning sense of humor.

Chewing on a hangnail, Brienne gradually admitted to herself that it also had to do with the fact that Jaime was insanely attractive as well.

Unwilling to shirk her duties as Jaime’s minder, Brienne made an effort to confront her fears and join in on the crowd. At first, she warmed up by making nervous smiles towards people who wandered in and out of the studio. The people she smiled at _did_ see her, but they rarely smiled back. After a few attempts, Brienne was confused so she started waving at them. None of the people she waved to would wave back. After a while, feeling ridiculous by her self-imposed seclusion, Brienne slowly inched towards the cuddle pile and tried to join in.

No matter what she did, men and women seemed to ignore her. A woman in her mid-fifties winced when Brienne made bashful eyes towards her. A handsome man acted like she was invisible after he made brief eye contact with her. Feeling desperate at one point, Brienne raised up her arms like a needing child towards a young woman. Taken aback by her homely features, the young woman turned away with a scornful laugh and promptly shook her head _'no.'_

Feeling as if though she were an infectious disease, Brienne’s confidence was soon obliterated. With drooping shoulders and a blank face, Brienne lumbered out of the dance studio with a slow pace while the G-rated orgy raged on without her.

 

\----

 

Jaime always knew how to keep an ace up his sleeve, but he had a hard time feigning ignorance when Brienne made her sad attempts to join in on the cuddle pile.

At first, Jaime was amused; it had delighted him to see how uncomfortable the snuggle party made Brienne feel. In truth, Jaime was just as uncomfortable as she was; he always hated the thought of strangers touching him. The difference between them was his false sense of bravado that inspired him to overcompensate around Brienne. Jaime had felt no desire for the co-eds that led him away; to him, they were nothing more than immature girls who were trapped inside the bodies of grown women.

When he first saw Brienne make her attempts to join in, he truly felt bad for her. From a distance he could see her trembling with nerves; between her forced smiles and her fluttering eyelashes, she looked like she wanted to scream every time she got close to someone. Jaime wanted to stand up to invite her over, but for some reason, Brienne’s eyes could never meet up with his. After a while, he tried to stand up, but a three hundred pound man with a shaggy beard had pinned him down to the gym mat.

As the party rolled into its second hour, Jaime could see Brienne sitting on the outer edges of the cuddle pile, desperately looking for a way to sneak in. It was a shock for him to see everyone coil away from her. For all of the talk they shared about the value of innocence and the need to feel accepted, most of those people liked to cringe whenever Brienne made her sad attempts to join in. At one point, a handsome man tried to curl himself tight around Jaime’s legs. Suddenly, he got an idea...

Desperate to help Brienne feel accepted, Jaime tried to push the handsome guy away with his bare feet. After a struggle, Jaime’s foot started to slide up against the slick fabric of the man's track pants. With a hard foot shoved against his rear, Jaime made an awkward gesture towards him while he used his finger to point towards Brienne. Failing to understand, the young man assumed Jaime wanted something else from him. Throwing the journalist a heated wink, the man started to stroke Jaime’s feet with a suggestive growl and a hungry, heated smile. Annoyed, Jaime caught the man’s attention again and mouthed out the words, _‘over there’_  while he pointed at Brienne. The man finally looked over his shoulder before he turned back around with a disgusted look on his face. Quietly, the young man laughed as he mouthed out the words ‘ _hell no_.'   
  
From the corner of his eye, Jaime made an attempt to extract himself from the nebulous pile of limbs and torsos. With one of his arms pinned beneath a burly, three hundred pound cuddle buddy, Jaime was helpless as he watched Brienne shamble out of the studio with an air of rejection and a pendulous sway of her arms.

 

\----

 

Seated on a wooden bench outside in the hallway, Brienne made notes to herself on her smartphone with a bored look on her face.

“Hey!”

Brienne looked up. Standing in the entryway of the studio was Jaime; to her, he looked like the ideal portrait of a lazy Sunday morning. His golden hair was messed up into an adorable scramble of fluff while he wore a five o’clock shadow with a rustic ease. Wearing sweatpants that hung low on his waist and a crumpled up t-shirt that was tugged at awkward angles, all that Jaime needed was a fresh mug of coffee and a rolled up newspaper to complete the picture. 

“ _What are you doing out here?”_

Brienne shrugged with a mirthless smile. “Got a little crowded,” Jaime was quick to read between the lines, “I just needed some fresh air.”

Seating himself next to Brienne on the creaky wood bench, Jaime tried his best to comb through his hair, smoothing it out with nervous fingers. “Yeah, _I get it_. It can get a little intense in there.” Brienne was quiet. All she wanted to do was go home. Feeling her emotions start to rise to the surface, Brienne looked away as Jaime searched for kind words before he continued. “You know… I could never identify myself as the polygamous type when it comes to cuddling." Brienne slowly turned her eyes and glance at him. "Shocking— _I know_ —but for me, I’ve always seen myself as the monogamous type when it comes to spooning total strangers.”

The quiet hallway was suddenly filled with a sweet laughter. Using her hands to cover her mouth, Brienne tried her hardest to stifle her laugh with an infectious grin. “I know that Catelyn Stark is trying to use you as some kind of punishment for me—”

Brienne’s laughter faded into a grudging confirmation. “No; I'm starting to believe that she's using _you_ to punishing _me.”_ Jaime laughed while he softly conceded to her notion. Wanting to set things right, Jaime offered her a lopsided grin before he continued. “The thing is… our partnership doesn't necessarily have _to be_  a punishment. We could usurp her plans and try to work together instead of against each other.” Brienne was at a loss for words. Never in her life did she imagine Jaime could be so compassionate and so… _nice_. Encouraged by her pretty smiles, Jaime looked down and softly grabbed ahold of her limp hand.

From just a simple touch, it felt as though a shower of hot sparks had begun to sizzle and burn inside their blood. Smoothing a heavy thumb over the back of her hand, Jaime looked up at Brienne with a breathless sigh and a nervous face. Quietly begging her not to reject him, Jaime swallowed back a lump of fear and gave Brienne a shuddering, self-effacing smile.

“Lady Brienne of the house Tarth?” Brienne’s face dissolved into another fit of embarrassed laughter. “Will you do me the honor of being my sweet maiden?”

Grateful to see an ounce of humanity reside in him, Brienne stared at Jaime with a questioning look on her face before she carefully smiled back. “But of course, good ser. I would be honored to be your lady.”

Victorious, Jaime flashed her a dazzling smile before he tugged her arm up to a stand. “Come, fair maiden. If you're going to help me sing this odd little song, then it's only fitting that you shall join me on this curious endeavor.”

 

\----

 

Tucked away in a dark corner of the dance studio, Jaime led Brienne to a small nest of pillows against a brick wall and tugged her close. _“See?_ Not so bad.” Brienne agreed with a halfhearted nod. Feeling upbeat, Jaime sat down and patted the vacant spot next to him. “Come here,” Brienne slowly lowered herself down, “because tonight, I’m gonna snuggle your damn brains out.”

Ignoring the suggestive comment, Brienne sat close to Jaime while she kept her arms and legs pinned to her side. “Brienne—it’s called _‘cuddling’_ ; it’s not called _‘playing cadaver.'”_ Unsure of herself, Brienne jerked her chest towards his while she popped up a stiff arm in a wooden manner. “Is this supposed to be your impression of a wooden doll?” Failing to respond, Brienne struggled for words until Jaime finally reached over and yanked her closer to his side.

Reclined against a soft mountain of pillows, Brienne’s body melted against his with a silent gasp.

Jaime’s body was a hot plane of carnality, composed of smooth skin and toned muscles, and every inch of it was begging to be touched. Sinking her head against his collarbone, Brienne let out a deep sigh before she felt relief and closed her eyes. Slowly opening her eyes again, Brienne suddenly realized how much she missed being in a relationship with someone. For so many years she’d convinced herself that she was fine; she reminded herself that she was a strong woman and that she was more than capable of being alone. But as Jaime’s hand started to glide over her arm with a devastating sweetness, Brienne finally accepted the fact that she truly was lonely and was in dire need of affection.

Trying his best to ignore the fact that Brienne was cuddled up at his side, Jaime’s brow started to fold together with a contented sigh. Sensing his distraction, she looked up to see what was the matter. “Are you thinking about the article?” Taken aback by her question, Jaime decided to lie and quickly agreed to her assumptions.

“Just thinking about this whole phenomenon of the cuddle party. We are a rapidly evolving species that is in desperate need to find love in the postmodern world of online dating. Instead of running into someone at a bookstore and asking them out for a cup of coffee..." Jaime lingered for a moment, "...people have become so alienated by the basic principles of a traditional romance now. As a result, they're starting to grapple with any excuse they can find just so they can grab ahold of the faintest semblance of intimacy.”

Intrigued, Brienne shrugged one shoulder against the soothing caress of Jaime’s hand. _“Hmm._ Well, I think that some people are just tired of going through the motions of frustrating dates and meaningless sex.  Everyone craves a hug, so why complicate matters with sex and dating? Everyone enjoys being cuddled.” Feeling oddly deflated by Brienne's point of view, Jaime collected his thoughts as he felt his opinions started to go on the defense. Eager to be understood, he tucked his face closer to Brienne's ear and whispered in a voice that was fraught with concern. 

“Don't you find this all just a bit _sad?”_ A small crease began to form between Brienne’s eyebrows.

“How do you mean?”

Jaime made a feeble attempt to shrug in his prone state. “Only by the fact that everyone in this room had to _pay_ for physical contact. It almost feels like something that’s akin to prostitution.” Shae threw a sharp look at Jaime as she quietly monitored the room. Lowering her voice to a soft murmur, Brienne unknowing stroked a thumb over Jaime’s knuckles while she thought of her reply.

“Well… If you think about it, it's no more strange than paying a therapist to listen to you talk. No different from paying someone to give you a massage, wash your hair or paint your toenails.” Jaime frowned with a new regard as Brienne continued. “It’s exhausting to be alone all the time. _Sometimes..._ it just feels good to be taken care of. Why do simple things always have to be so complicated?” Brienne wasn’t aware that she’d slipped a bare foot between Jaime’s ankles. Unaware of it as well, Jaime tugged Brienne closer to his chest while his legs started to vine around hers.

Time passed in relative silence between them. Soft music played in the background while self-conscious men and women in the cuddle pile tittered and mumbled. Brienne didn’t want to admit it, but she was getting drowsy. As the minutes' passed, her head started a slow migration from Jaime’s collarbone all the way down to his chest. Just as sleep threatened to claim her mind, Brienne realized that the more time she'd spent reclined on Jaime’s body, the more comfortable and relaxed she'd become.

A deep yawn rolled out of Brienne’s mouth. Seconds later, Jaime started to yawn too. Steady breaths gave way to a slow and deep breathing. Drifting in and out of consciousness, Brienne tried to stay awake but ultimately failed. 

It just felt too damn good to be wrapped up in Jaime’s arms.

 

\----

 

_“Brienne.”_

Brienne didn’t respond.

“Brienne?”

Blinking back heavy eyelids, Brienne frowned at Jaime. Burying her face deeper into his chest, Brienne spoke in a groggy voice that was darling with confusion. “Is it my turn to be the big spoon?”

Snickering into her hair, Jaime smoothed a gentle palm over her shoulder blade while his voice melted into her ear like honey. “They’re turning on the lights now,” Brienne struggled to see with bleary eyes, “party’s over.”

Grunting her exhaustion into his chest, Brienne moved with the clumsy grace of sleep drunk limbs. Confused by her strange surroundings, Brienne got to her knees and turned her back on Jaime before she started to stumble. Fumbling to stand back up, Brienne unknowingly threw a heavy leg over Jaime's waist. Just as she was struggling to find her bearings, Brienne paused in her motions. She was confused. She couldn't understand why Jaime sounded so panicked; she could feel his body start to tense up. Suddenly, Jaime's voice dropped down to a whisper as he desperately started to plead, ‘ _nonono_.'

Lowering her hips down to pay attention, Brienne suddenly felt a growing hardness start to burrow its way into the soft valley between her thighs.

Aqua blue eyes, innocent and unsuspecting, flew wide open with a lightning flash of knowing. Brienne couldn't decide if she was horrified or delighted by what she'd felt; her indecisiveness changed once her hips accidently tipped forward, softly rolling over the firm bulge between her legs. She couldn't be certain, but she could've sworn that she heard a sharp intake of air and a smothered groan fall from Jaime's mouth.

There were no doubts in Brienne's mind that she was now straddled across Jaime’s cock. As they'd cuddled, Brienne noticed that Jaime had snuck a pillow over his lap moments before she drifted off to sleep, but she didn't think anything of it. It was only when she accidently threw a leg over his waist did she find out why it was there to begin with.

Brienne shuddered. It felt good to be seated on top of Jaime like this. She liked the way his cock teased her flesh with its artless precision.

Something came over Brienne in that heated moment; it was a simple thought that wasn't weighed down by a lifetime of insecurity or ridicule. Permitting Jaime's arousal to belong to her for only a moment, Brienne suddenly realized how much she missed the feeling of being wanted and desired. Turning rather brazen, Brienne gradually closed her eyes and decided to hover over his cock for just a sweet moment longer.

Gritting his back teeth with eyes screwed shut, Jaime fought for air as Brienne started to drag her lush backside away from him. Struggling with his voice, Jaime winced as he grew flustered and started to blather. “Everything OK?”

Startled back into reality, Brienne's cheeks blazed with shame as she crawled off of him and thought of an excuse. _“Uhh,_ I thought I lost my cellphone.” Jaime didn't speak; he just sighed as his entire body mourned the loss of Brienne and the impromptu ride on his cock. “Did you need help… uh, getting up?” Jaime flinched by her loaded question and quickly rolled over to his side.

“Nope. _Nooo…_ thanks. I just got a text; I need to, umm, need to read this text here.” Feeling oddly dejected, Brienne smoothed her hands over her shirt and mumbled out a soft reply. “Alright. I'll be in the hallway then.” Jaime only made faint grunt of acknowledgment in her wake.  
  
As the lighting in the room started to grow brighter, guests turned restless with the flutter of embarrassed laughter and sleepy voices. Desperately willing for his cock to subside, Jaime flexed the muscles in his thighs and tried to divert his raging blood flow elsewhere. Remaining quiet with a shade of worry, he blindly scrolled through his text messages with dazed eyes that were incapable of reading a single word on his phone.

As she waited out in the hallway, Brienne watched men and women straggle out the studio, arm in arm with lazy kisses and smiles. Dragging her fingernails through her hair, Brienne turned self-conscious as she felt a nest of tangles at the back of her neck. A moment passed; Brienne nervously waited. Finally, Jaime emerged from the studio with a blank face and hard eyes.

“You're still here?” Brienne blushed as she fumbled for a reply. Amused, Jaime smiled as he tried to calm her down. “Kidding, _I’m kidding.”_

Together, they stepped out towards the black streets in front of the dance studio. Jaime suddenly had a hard time sustaining any eye contact with Brienne. Sensing that the mood had obviously shifted between them, Brienne chewed on her lower lip as she tried to ignore the memory of Jaime’s cock brushing against her moments ago. Nervous eyes suddenly made contact with his in the chilly night air that was laced with stars. 

Brienne fished for her car keys and looked over her shoulder. “I’m parked this way.” Jaime nodded his head with a mute acceptance. “I remember. Uh, I’m parked over there.” Jerking his head towards the opposite direction, Jaime felt a thrill rush inside of him once he noticed the look of disappointment on Brienne’s face. _“Oh.”_

At a loss for words, Jaime flashed Brienne a nervous smile as he tried to think of something witty to say. “Next time we do that, I'll let you be the big spoon.” Brienne glanced at Jaime with a strange look on her face. Flustered by her confused reaction, Jaime decided to ruin a lovely moment with a cheap insult. “And I only say that out of necessity. As it turns out, I’m incapable of breathing with your gigantic head threatening to crush in my chest.” Blinking away the memories of a lovely evening, Brienne’s eyes hardened into an icy glare of frustration.

“Jaime—don't you ever get tired of being an asshole?”

Startled by her question, Jaime’s eyes swelled with panic before he saw a faint smile flash across her face. Realizing that Brienne was posing a challenge to his flirtatious comment, Jaime shifted his eyes away with a growing smile and tried hard not to laugh. “I don't know, Brienne. Don't you ever get tired of being a nag?” Unimpressed by his insult, Brienne tipped her head off to the side with a blank face and shook her head with a look that said _'nice try.'_

Irritated by her blasé reaction, Jaime slipped out of Brienne's gaze with a huff of laughter and a discreet roll of the eyes. Marching forward with a slight grin on his face, Brienne lingered in the streets and watched him slowly walk away.

Brienne hated to admit it: in spite of the fact that she was glad to see Jaime go, it gave her a thrill to watch him walk away. Staring at his ass with the narrow eyes of a hungry predator, Brienne clenched her jaw tight with a slight grimace. Looking down at her sneakers, she chewed on her lower lip before she whispered to softly herself.

“Damnit.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a day late and a dollar short, but... what the hell: Happy Valentine's Day.
> 
> If you're having a bad day, I want you to know that I'm sending you a virtual hug.  
> If you're having a good day, share your smile with a stranger.  
> You might not know it, but a simple kindness has the power to change a person's life. 
> 
>  
> 
> My love to you.

**Author's Note:**

> (sigh) 
> 
>  
> 
> I wanted to publish this for Valentine's Day. My nephew celebrated his birthday yesterday; as a result, it felt like I'd spent an eternity inside of a Toys R Us, wishing I could be at home to edit and post this story. Instead, all I could do was smile at my cute nephew while a part of me wanted to rip out my hair and scream until I passed out. 
> 
> But, little dude had a happy birthday so... *shrugs*
> 
>  
> 
> PS. $42 for a Duplo set?!? A Duplo set. Are you fucking kidding me Toys R Us?
> 
> *lumbers away grumbling over Lego prices*


End file.
